Calculating machine cycle initiating mechanism



A ril 17, 1962 e. c. ELLERBECK 3,030,018

CALCULATING MACHINE CYCLE INITIATING MECHANISM Filed May 29, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 TIE! l April 17, 1962 G. c. ELLER-BECK 3,030,018

CALCULATING MACHINE CYCLE INITIATING MECHANISM Filed May 29, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States PatentO 3,030,018 CALCULATING MACHINE CYCLE INITIATING MECHANISM Grant C. Ellerbeck, San Leandro, Calif., assignor to Friden, Inc., a corporation of California Filed May 29, 1959, Ser. No. 816,749 7 Claims. (Cl. 235145) This invention relates to automatic calculating machines, and more particularly to a ten-key, live keyboard for adding machines of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,832,531 of April 29, 1958, to Harold J. Chall.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved ten-key live keyboard for an automatic adding machine, by which is meant a keyboard in which the value keys also function to initiate a machine operation so that the operation of a separate control key becomes unnecessary.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide an improved live keyboard for a ten-key machine wherein a rocking movement, or tilting, of the key initiates a machine function.

A further object of this invention is to provide a live keyboard wherein rocking of a depressed value key will initiate a machine operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a live ten-key keyboard requiring very light pres-sure to longitudinally move, or rock, the value key and thereby initiate machine operation.

Still a further object is to provide a ten-key keyboard wherein the value keys may be rocked (after depression to set a value in the machine), in either of two directions, thereby closing one or the other of a pair of electric control switches which initiate machine operation.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which will readily be understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of the keyboard and selector sectors, with the key tops removed, the view being substantially parallel to the plane of the keyboard, as generally indicated by the line 11 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the keyboard and further shows the pin box associated therewith, the view being taken along planes immediately to the right of the keyboard, as indicated by the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right side elevational'view showing the cycle initiating mechanism, as indicated by the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the power switch and the switch closure mechanism, the view being taken along the planes indicated by lines 4-4 of FIG. 3; and,

FIG. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram employed in the present invention.

The invention herein shown and described is preferably constructed in an adding machine of the type shown in the above-mentioned Chall patent. It is not intended that its use should be limited only to a machine of this type. It is evident that the underlying principles thereof may be advantageously applied to other types of machines, e.g., the ten-key keyboard found in the Carl M. F. Friden Patent No. 2,731,752, patented March 20, 1945.

Mechanisms which are conventional in the machine of the above-mentioned Patent No. 2,832,531 will not be described herein, unless necessary to provide a complete understanding of the mechanism in the present invention.

Referring now to the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and more specifically to FIG. 2, the adding machine is provided with a keyboard assembly 11, including a key supporting structure disposed between,

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and fixedly mounted on, longitudinally extending machine frames 12 and 13. These frame plates conventionally are mounted substantially perpendicularly from the machine base 14 by suitable fastening means, not shown, and are in spaced parallel relationship to each other. The key supporting structure includes a top plate 16 and a bottom 'plate 17 disposed in spaced parallel relationship to each other above the machine base. The bottom plate 17 is positioned between, and secured to, the side frames 12 and 13. The top plate 16 is fixed above the bottom plate 17 by suitable posts 21 fixed therebetween. The key supporting structure further includes a central support 18 (see FIG. 2), which is secured to the bottom plate 17 in any suitable manner, such as by welding, and to the machine base 14 by suitable fasteners, such as screw 19. The top plate 16 and bottom plate 17 are suitably apertured to slidably receive the stems 22 of the selection, or value setting, keys 23.

Each value setting key 23 has a key stem 22 of rectangular cross-sectional shape, suitably received in corresponding registering apertures in the upper and lower supporting plates 16 and 17, respectively. The keys 23 are arranged in a rectangular pattern, with the keys consecutively numbered from 1 to 9 being arranged in three rows of three keys in each row (as shown by the numeral designations above the key stems in FIG. 1), and with the 0 key mounted on a pair of keystems positioned forwardly of the 1, 2 and 3 value keys.

Laterally offset arms 26 extend across the longitudinal center line of the keyboard, each arm having a downwardly directed plunger portion extending through another aperture in the bottom plate 17. These plunger apertures in the bottom plate are arranged substantially in a line extending longitudinally of the keyboard intermediate the width thereof, as is fully shown in the Friden and Chall patents above-mentioned. Each key stem 22 also has a restricted stem portion extending through the aperture in the lower plate 17. A compression spring 27 encircles each such restricted key stem 22 and rests on the bottom plates 17, so that these springs resiliently urge the keys upwardly to a limiting position, as determined by the engagement of the top edge of the offset arm 26 with the bottom surface of the upper key support plate 16.

The key tops of the keys are not secured directly to the key stems 22, as is conventional, but are secured to rockable levers 31 pivotally and slidably mounted intermediate their length on a rod, or shaft, 32. These levers 31 are mounted on the shaft 32 by means of a slot 30, so that they can be rocked about the shaft, or rod, 32, and

also can be moved longitudinally of the machine on the can be seen that downward depression of the keys 23 will move the appropriate key stem 22 downwardly and that the elongated slot 33 will allow limited forward and rearward movement of the key tops 23 and levers 31 with respect to the key stem 22 (see FIG. 2). A T-shaped slot 35 is provided in the forward extremity of the positionable levers, or arms, 31. The T-shaped slots 35 encompass a cross-member, or rod, 36, of a bail extending transversely of the machine. This rod is mounted in the upper end of a pair of upstanding rockable arms 37 and 38, which arms preferably are pinned to a transverse shaft 39 extending between the frame plates 12 and 13 and suitably Patented Apr. 17, 1962 journalled therein. It, therefore, can be seen that upon depression of any of the value keys 23, the rockable lever 31 will rock about its pivot 32 and the downward extending stem of the T-shaped slot 35 will engage the bail rod 36 as the forward end of the lever 31 is raised. Also, if the key is moved forwardly or rearwardly, it will adjust the rod 36 correspondingly, about the shaft 39. The forward and rearward movement of-the rod 36 will initiate a functional operation of the machine, as will later be described. A U-shaped centralizing spring 40 is provided for each rockable lever 31, rearwardly of the pivot rod 32, the springs preferably being secured to an extension of the top plate 16 by suitable fasteners, such as screws 41.

A selector assembly 45 is provided, and includes a cage, or carriage, having side plates 46 and 47 extending longitudinally of the machine, substantially perpendicular to the plane of the machine base and held in suitable parallel relationship to each other by spaced tie rods 48. 49 and 50, extending transversely through the cage and secured in the side plates 46 and 47. The side plates 46 and 47, respectively, are slidably mounted on parallel guide rails 51 and 52 which extend transversely of the machine and through apertures in the side plates. The length of the guide rails is such that the selector unit, or carriage, has a freedom of translational movement substantially equal to its own length transversely of the machine. The side plates 46 and 47 support a sector mounting shaft 53 which extends transversely across the space between them and is substantially parallel to the tie rods 48, 49, and 50. A plurality of ordinarily arranged input value selector sectors 54 are jonrnalled on the shaft 53. A live pawl 58 is pivotally mounted atone end thereof on a radially projecting spoke of each selector sector 54, which pawl bears adjacent its other end against the distal end of the coordinal selector sector. Each live pawl 58 is resiliently held against the adjacent end of the corresponding sector by a tension spring 57 connected between thelive pawl and the spoke structure of the sector.

Each selector sector 54 is releasably held in its full cycle, or home position by a coordinal latch lever 59 pivotally mounted intermediate its length on a latch shaft 60, which shaft extends between the carriage side plates 46 and 47 and is secured at its ends thereto. The latch lever 59 is resiliently urged by a tension spring 61 to its latching position in which its rearward end engages the forwardly projecting nose on the free end of the pawl 58, the spring 61 preferably being tensioned betweenthe forward end of the latch 59 and the tie rod 50. Each of the selector sectors is urged to turn about the shaft 53 '(clock-, wise in FIG. 2) by a tension spring 62-which is wound partly around a hub of the sectors and has one end connected to a sector carried stud 63 and its other end connected to the tie rod 49. i

In addition to the side plates 46 and 47 and the tie rods 48 to 50, inclusive, the selector assembly 45 includes a pin box 66 (FIG. 2). The pin box 66 has forward and rearward guide plates 67 and 68, respectively, disposed in spaced and substantially parallel relationship to each other at the front side of the selector carriage '45 and is secured between the end plates thereof. Both plates 67 and 68 are provided with a series of registering apertures extending transversely thereof in ordinal rows aligned with the coordinal sector 54. Each row has eight apertures differentially spaced, corresponding to values of 1 to 8. A settable stop pin 69 is suitably mounted in each pair of registering apertures. Each stop pin 69 carries conventional limit pins (not shown) extending transversely therethrough, which limit pins are engageable respectively with the plates 67 and 68 to limit longitudinal movement of the stop pins relative to the supporting plates in their proper retracted and protracted positions. A conventional spring de'tent 72 may also be engaged with each of the stop pins 69 to releasably hold the associated stop pin ineither of its retracted or protracted positions.

There is one settable stop pin for each numeral designation of 1 to 8 of each selector 54, a fixed stop being provided for the 9 position, and the latch 59 holding the sector in its "0 position. A resilient limit stop 70 is secured between the side plates 46 and 47 and provides a home, or "0 position for the selector sectors by the engagement of one of the radially positioned spokes of the selectors engaging a bottom portion of the stop 70. The stop 70 also provides a limit stop for the selector sectors when in the other limiting position, that is, when the selector sectors are rotated to the 9 position. It is conventional in machines of this type to have another radially disposed spoke engage the resilient stop 70 when the value of 9 is selected in the keyboard and the sectors 54 are unlatched to rotate about their pivotal shaft 53.

An arbor 74 is mounted on the right and left side frames 12 and 13, respectively, and extends transversely thereof below the bottom plate 17. Pin setting bellcranks 75, corresponding to the 1 and 8 keys of the keyboard, are pivotally mounted intermediate their lengthson the arbor 74 in side-by-side relationship to each other.

The bellcrank levers 75 have upwardly curved front ends so positioned below the bottom plate 17 that they are in alignment with the lower ends of corresponding plunger portions of the numeral key stems 22, whereby the manual depression of any numeral key 23 will impart a rocking movement to its corresponding pin setting bellcrank 75.

Reai-wardly of the arbor 74, the bellcrank levers 75 are laterally oifset so that their rearward end portions are suitably received, one above the other, in a slot provided in a fixed plate 76. The plate 76 extends transversely of the machine, being disposed immediately in front of the lower pin guide plate 67. The pin setting levers 75 are so constructed and arranged that the lever operated by the 1 key 23 has its rearward end at the lowest position in the slot which is provided in the plate 76, the lever operated by the 2 key has its rearward end next above the rearward end of the leveroperated by the "1 key, etc. This arrangement continues, as is conventional, through the 8 key, which lever has its rearward end at the highest position in the slot. Each of the levers 75 has its rearward projection in alignment with the forward end of a corresponding stop pin 69 in the ordinal row of pins lying in the pin-setting position of the carriage, i.e., the highest ordinal row when the carriage is in its home, or inoperative position. Thus, when a numeral value key is manually depressed, a corresponding stop pin will be set,

' as is conventional in this type of machine, and the carriage will he stepped one order to the left to receive another value.

An L-shaped bracket 77 is secured by suitable means to the central support 18 forwardly of the fixed plate 76 and below the arbor 74. The pin-setting levers 75 have a nose formation forwardly thereof, which formations abut against the. rearward surface of one leg of the L-shaped bracket 77, so that positive positioning of the levers in their normal, inactive position is maintained. A tension spring 78 is connected between an ear formation on each lever 75 and the downwardly projecting leg of the L- shaped bracket 77 to resiliently urge the levers to their normal inactive position.

A sector latch-releasing bar 81 extends longitudinally of the keyboard between the top and bottom plates 16 and 17, respectively, of the keyboard assembly, and under the offset arms 26 of the key stems 22. This bar 81 is supported at its ends by support arms 82, which arms are pivotally secured at their extreme ends to a longitudinally this type and as fully described in the above-mentioned patents.

A bellcrank lever 83 is' pivoted intermediate its length on a pin 86 carried by the upper end of an arm 84, which arm is secured to the bracket 77 by suitable fasteners, such as screws 85. The bellcrank lever 83 has its forward leg curved upwardly to extend through an aperture in the bottom keyboard plate 17 directly below the bar 81, so that the lever 83 will be rocked whenever the bar 81 is pressed down by depression of any of the numeral keys.

A latch releasing dog 88 is pivotally mounted at its forward end on the central support 18, forwardly of the fixed plate 76. The releasing dog 88 has at its rearward end a nose formation 89 which extends through an aperture in the fixed plate '76 and underlies the forward end of the sector latch lever 59 lying in the pin setting position of the carriage, in a conventional manner. A link 90 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the dog 88 intermediate the length of the dog, and pivotally connected at its upper end to the rearward leg of the bellcrank lever 83. Therefore, it can be seen that when the lever 83 is rocked (counter-clockwise in FIG. 2) by downward movement of the bar 81, the forward end of the sector latch lever 59 which is engaged by the nose 89 of latch releasing dog 88 is raised against the force of its associated tension spring 61, whereby the rearward end of the latch lever 59 is moved out of engagement with the coordinal selector sector 54. Thereupon the coordinal sector rotates under the force of its spring 62 to the differential position determined by the projection of a stop pin 69 into its path of travel.

It can be noted atthis time that as the selector segments are set, the shiftable selector unit 45, including the cage and the selector sectors, stop pins and latch levers carried by the cage, is stepped, or shifted, along the guide rails 51 and 52 in a direction from right to left in FIG. 1, so that the selector sectors are successively brought into alignment with the slots in the fixed plate 76 as the digits of an entire number are registered from the highest to the lowest order of the entry by depression of the appropriate numeral keys 23.

A rack, or comb 95, is mounted on the upper and forward edge of the selector carriage 45, as by being attached to the rearward guide pin plate 68 by suitable screw fasteners. The rack 95 has forwardly directed teeth 96 thereon (see FIG. 1). An escapement arm 97 is pivotally mounted at its left end on the left side of the bottom plate 17 of the keyboardassembly (as shown in FIG. 1). The escapement arm 97 extends to the right from its pivot, along and below the rack 95. This arm 97 is provided on its right, or free, end with a detent formation 98 which projects upwardly between two adjacent teeth 96 of the rack 95 and releasably restrains the sector unit against movement. A conventional rack retarding pawl 99 is rigidly mounted at its right end on the rear end of a shaft 104 pivoted in brackets 106 at the ends adjacent the right side of the bottom plate 17 and extends from its shaft to the left along and forwardly of the rack 95. The conventional retarding pawl 99 is provided at its left, or free, end with an inclined ear 101 which is normally disposed above the rack 95. Also, conventionally, the two pawls are rocked by a common means described in the next paragraph, so that both pawls rock in unison. Thus, the ear 101 of pawl 99 is movable into an interdent-al space of the rack when the nose 98 of pawl 97 starts its movement to disengage the rack, whereby the selector unit is stepped to the left only a small portion of an ordinal step upon the depression of a value key 23, and is held in such intermediate position until the key is released. The escapement arm and retarding pawl 96 and 99, respectively, are provided at their pivotal ends with downwardly projecting extensions, between which a tension spring 102 is connected to resilientlyurge the free ends of the arm 97 and pawl 99 upwardly, whereby the detent formation 98 is positioned in an interdental space of the rack 95.

The escapement arm 97 is provided at its freeend with a forwardly extending pin 103 (see FIG. 2) which pin underlies the rearward support arm 82 of the centrally located latch release bar 81. Therefore, when the bar 81 is pressed down by the depression of a numeral value key 23, as described above, the support arm 82 engages the pin 103 and forces the free end of the escapement arm 97 downwardly. The retarding pawl 99 is provided near its free end with a closed slot, not shown, having at its end nearest the free end of this pawl, a downwardly extending recess. A terminal extension of the release bar 81 which projects rearwardly from the rearward support arm 82 is received in this recess, so that as the sector latch release bar 81 is moved downwardly, the extension thereof resting in the elongated recess will move the retarding pawl 99 downwardly, and thus move the inclined ear 101 into the nearest interdental space of the rack comb 95. Since the inclined car 101 has a thickness less than the distance between two adjacent teeth 96 of the comb 95, it will permit a sufficient movement of the rack to the left (see FIG. 1) to bring a tooth of the rack, or comb, above the detent 98 on the escapement arm 97. When the manually depressed numeral key is released, allowing the spring 102 to restore the arm 97 and pawl 99, the inclined ear 101 will be moved out of the interdental space in which it is engaged, and also, the detent 98 will first contact the bottom surface of the tooth which is immediately above it, and then as the rack shifts to the left, it is set into the next space to the right and terminates the leftward movement of the shiftable carriage. Thus, the selector mechanism will then have been shifted one ordinal space and the selec tion mechanism is ready to receive another digital value. A zero shaft 104 (FIG. 2) is journalled near its ends in the upstanding brackets 106 provided on the forward provided on the key stem 22 of the 0 value key 23.

Thus as the 0 key is depressed, which key does not set any of the pins in the pin box 66, the finger 108 will rock the lever 107 downwardly to rock the shaft 104 which is secured thereto (counter-clockwise if viewed from the front). As the shaft 104 is rocked it will move the free end of the retarding pawl 99 downwardly. As the free end of the pawl 99 is moved downwardly the lower surface of the inclined ear 101 will engage the upper edge of the escapement arm 97 to force this arm downwardly. Once again the detent 98 is removed from the teeth 96 and the inclined ear 101 moves into the next interdental space of the rack, or comb, 95, whereby the selector assembly 45 is shifted one increment to the left (see FIG. 1).

When the shiftable selector unit is returned to its home position by conventional mechanism, not shown, any of the settable stop pins 69 which have been projected during the leftward movement of the unit from its home position are automatically retracted. Each stop pin 69 is provided at its forward, or lower, end, forwardly of the lower guide pin plate 67, with elongated slots. A comb, not shown, is conventionally mounted on the frame plate 13, the pin retracting fingers, or teeth 71, of which extend to the left through these slots. There is one retracting finger for each bank, or transverse row, each pin 71 extending through the slots of all the pins 69 of its bank when the carriage is in its extreme righthand position (which conventionally is one step to the right of its home position). Thus a leftward movement of the carriage 45 to the left from its extreme to its home position. (in which the highest order of the pins and sectors are aligned with the slot in plate 76) moves the highest order of pins off the teeth 71 of the comb to enable the pins to be set. Similarly, each leftward step frees the meson-1:8

adjacent lower order of pins from the comb. Each finger has a point at its left-hand end which is in alignment with the small opening of the slot when a pin is in its projected position, adjacent to which is a cam surface which restores the settable pins of the corresponding rows to their retracted position as the pins move to the right as the carriage is returned to its right-hand position. The foregoing pin-retracting mechanism is conventional and a complete description thereof can be found in the Carl M. F. Friden Patent No. 2,371,752.

The foregoing description of the conventional sector assembly 45 and its associated mechanism is believed sufficient for a complete understanding of the present invention hereinafter described. If a more detailed description is desired of the operation and construction of this mechanism, reference may be had to either of the abovementioned patents.

To initiate either an additive or subtractive operation of the machine, addition and subtraction keys 115 and 116, respectively, are located at the right-hand side of the keyboard assembly (FIG. 1), preferably being mounted for vertical movement on the right-hand side frame 13'. The add key 115 is positioned near the forward, right-hand corner of the adding machine and comprises, conventionally, an elongated fiat key stem 117 disposed against the left-hand side of the frame 13. Conventionally, the stem 117 (see FIG. 3) is resiliently urged to its upper limiting position by a spring (not shown), which spring is connected between the lower portion of the key stem and the upper portion of the frame 13. A stud 118 projects laterally from the addition key stern 117, which stud operates a conventional mechanism to close a motor switch and operate the clutch, as is fully described in the Chall patent mentioned above. The stud 118, in the present invention, is connected at its outer extremity to an armature 149 of an addition solenoid 147, the ope'ration ofwhich will be described hereinafter.

The subtraction key 116 is disposed immediately rearwardly of the addition key 115 and has an elongated, flat stern 119 disposed against the outer side of the frame 13. Conventionally, the subtraction key stem 119 is constructed for vertical sliding movement and is resiliently urged to its upper limiting position by means of a spring (not shown) secured between the lower portion of the key stem 119 and the upper portion of the frame 13. A stud 120 projects laterally from the key stem 119, which stud 120 operates conventional mechanism to subtractively' operate the machine. The stud 120, in the present invention, is connected at its outer extremity to an armature 153- of a subtraction solenoid 148, which will hereinafter he described.

As stated earlier, forward or rearward manipulation of a depressed value key will operate the machine for either an additive or subtractive operation. Obviously, when the forward end of the rockable arm 31 is moved upwardly, the stem of the T-slot 35 will engage the bail rod 36, and forward or rearward manipulation of the arm 31 will rock the rod 36 accordingly about its pivot shaft 39. The rod 36 extends transversely (to the right in FIG. 1) through a slotted opening 125 in an auxiliary mounting plate 126.

A member, or link, 127 (see also FIG. 3) is slidably mounted on the upper portion of the plate 126 by pinand-slot connections 128 and 129. The forward end of the link 127 is connected to the extremity of the rod 36 and its other end is bent downwardly and has an inverted V-notch 130 cut therein. Intermediate the end of the link 127 is a resilient contact 131 of a plus-minus control switch 132. -The resilient contact 131 is insulated from the link 127 by an insulating strip 133 positioned between the resilient contact and the link.

To provide a means by which the adjustable link 127 may be blocked, or latched, in its adjusted position, there is provided a plus block 135 and a minus block 136. The plus'block' 135 is pivotally connected below the link I 127, by a pivot screw 137, to the plate 126. The block is resiliently urged upwardly (clockwise in FIG. 3 by a spring 138 which is secured between a leg of the block 135 and a stud 139 secured to the plate 126. The block 135 normally is restrained from its upward movement by a pin 141, which pin is secured to the link 127 immediately above the block-when the link is in its neutral, or inactive, position. When the lever 127 is adjusted forwardly by the forward movement of a depressed value key 23, as explained earlier, the pin 141 moves off of the block, thereby permitting the block 135 to rotate upwardly about its pivot 137 to move behind the pin 141 and latch the slidable member 127 in its forward adjusted position.

Similarly, the minus block 136 moves upwardly (counterclockwise in FIG. 3) about a pivot screw 142, which screw is secured to the plate 126 below the member 127. The block 136 is resiliently urged upwardly by a spring 143 connected between a leg of the block and a stud 144 secured to the plate 126. This block 136, also, is normally restrained from upward movement by a pin 146 which is secured to the adjustable link 127 immediately above the block when the link is in its neutral, or inactive, position. The pin 146 also acts to latch the link 127 in its rearward adjusted position when the link has been moved rearwardly by rearward manipulation of the value key 123, as explained above. move upwardly, in front of the pin 146, to prevent the return of this link to its neutral position.

To initiate an additive or a subtractive power cycle of operation of the machine automatically and to produce the same effect as would otherwise be obtained by manual depression of the control keys and 116, there is provided the add solenoid 147 and the subtract solenoid 148. The add solenoid 147 is transversely aligned with the add key stem 117 and is mounted on the outside of the auxiliary mounting plate 126 by a U-shaped clip 150, which clip is secured to the auxiliary plate by suitable screw fasteners, as shown in FIG. 3. Similarly, the subtract solenoid 148 is transversely aligned with the subtract key stem 119, and is also mounted on the outside of the mounting plate 126 by a U-shaped clip 150', which clip is also secured to the plate 126 by screw fasteners as shown. The plunger 149 extends through the add solenoid 147 and has its lower end connected to the stud 118 of the add key 115, as mentioned earlier. When this solenoid 147 is energized through a circuit described herein, the plunger 149 will force the stud 118 and the add key 115 downwardly, thereby initiating mechanism to additively cycle the machine. Secured to the upper end of the plunger 149 is a flat disk 151 which cooperates, when the plunger moves downwardly, with an ear 152 formed on the lower portion of the plus block 135. Thus, as the plunger moves downwardly, it will restore this block to its normal inactive position. It should be mentioned at this time that when the block 135 is removed from behind the forwardly adjusted pin 141 the slidable member 127 will return to its normally inactive, or neutral, position. The other pin 146 which cooperates with the minus block 136, will cam this block downwardly, where the pin will once again rest above the edge portion of this block 136, as shown in FIG. 3.

The plunger 153 extends through the subtract solenoid 148, the lower end of which is secured to the stud 120, as mentioned earlier. Therefore, it is obvious that when the solenoid 148 is energized, by circuit later to be described, the plunger 153 is forced downwardly, to move the subtraction key 116 downwardly to initiate a subtractive operation of the machine. The upper end of this plunger 153 is provided with a disk 154 secured thereto. The disk 154, when moved downwardly, engages with an ear 156 provided on the lower portion of the minus block 136, and returns this block to its normal, inactive position. Since the adjustable member 127 had been latched in its rearward position by the minus block 136 rising in The block 136 can then front of pin 146, the rocking of the minus block by the plunger will release the pin 146 to allow the return of the member 127 to its normal, inactive position. It should also be mentioned here that the pin 141 will cam the add block 135 downwardly and the pin 141 will come to rest above the upper portion of this block 135, as shown in FIG. 3.

A bellcrank 158 is pivotally mounted on a stud 159 aflixed to the upper rearward portion of the right side frame plate 13. A roller 160 is carried on the forwardly extending arm of the bell-crank 158, which roller rides in the V-notch 130 of the shiftable link 127. The other arm of the bellcrank 158 extends downwardly from the pivot 159 and has an inverted V-notch 161 cut in its end. A spring 162 is connected between a stud 163 secured to the rearward portion of the auxiliary mounting plate 126 and a spring seat 164 in the lower portion of the bellcrank 158, thus resiliently biasing the bellcrank to the central position shown in full lines in FIG. 3.

A transverse shaft 167 is journalled in the left and right side frame plates 12 and 13, respectively, below the sector assembly 45 and rearwardly of the pin box 66-. The transverse shaft 167 extends to the right beyond the frame plate 13, as shown in FIG. 1. An arm 168 is pinned to the extreme right end of this shaft 167, in a plane adjacent that of bellcrank 158. A roller 169 is carried by the distal end of the arm 168, the roller riding in the inverted V-notch 161 of the bellcrank 158. Therefore it can be seen that when the adjustable lever 127 is moved either forwardly or rearwardly (to the right or left in FIG. 3), the notch 130 engaging the roller 160 will rock the bellcrank 158 (counter-clockwise in FIG. 3) to the phantom line position shown. The notch 161 in the lower end of the bellcrank engages the roller 169 of the arm 168, thereby rocking the transverse shaft 167 (clockwise in FIG. 3).

A switch-operating pawl 172 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) is pinned to the transverse shaft 167, a partial increment of shiftable movement to the left of the sector assembly 45. The pawl 172 is normally positioned below and out of engagement by the selector sectors 54, as is best shown in FIG. 2. Whenever the shaft 167 is rocked (clockwise in FIGS. 2 and 3), the pawl 172 will be rocked into the position shown in phantom in FIG. 2 in which position it will be engaged by any of the selector sectors 54 when the' selector assembly 45 is shifted along the guide rails 51 and 52. It will be recalled that depression of a value key 23 operates an escapement mechanism which releases the selector assembly for a partial shifting movement, the major portion of the escapement movement occurring after the key has been released. If the key is moved forwardly or rearwardly at the end of its downward stroke, the consequent rocking of shaft 167 and its arm 172 moves the arm into an angular position at which it will be engaged by the adjacent sector as the carriage completes its escapement after the key is released, thereby shifting shaft 167 to the left to initiate machine operation.

Depression of a value key 23 will not only rock the arm 31, and operate the escapement mechanism, but will operate the power cycle initiating mechanism, including the rod 36, link 127, bellcrank 158, arm 168, shaft 167, and pawl 172 as follows: The offset arm 26 will move the latch release bar 81 downwardly to remove the detent 98 from engagement with the rack teeth 96. At the same instance, the inclined car 101 will move downwardly into engagement with the adjacent tooth 96 to allow a onethird increment of movement to the carriage, as described above. While the key is held depressed the rod 36 is held in the stem of the T-shaped notch 35. If, at this point, the key is moved either forwardly or rearwardly, the bail rod 36 will have to rock about its pivot 39. Assuming that an addition operation is desired and the key is pulled forwardly, forward movement of the rod 36 will adjust the slidable link 127 forwardly to a position where the plus block 135 moves upwardly and behind the pin 141 to latch the link 127 in its adjusted position. The movement of the link 127 will also rock the bellcrank 158 and arm 168 to rock the shaft 167 and pawl 172, as described above. Release of the depressed key will remove the inclined ear 101 from the rack and at the same time the detent 98 will first engage the bottom of the adjacent tooth 96, and, as the carriage shifts, the detent will move into the next adjacent notch of the rack 95 to terminate the shifting of the sector assembly 45. With the last two-thirds incremental movement of the sector assembly 45, the adjacent selector sector will engage the pawl 172 to axially move the shaft 167, to the left in FIGS. 1 and 4.

With the axial movement of the shaft 167, an insulating bumper 173 which is secured to the hub of the arm 168 and extends downwardly therefrom, will first engage and then close the contacts 174 and 175 of a main power switch 176. These contacts 174 and 175 operate to close a circuit to the solenoids 147 or 148, as will hereinafter be described. A compression spring 179 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) surrounds the shaft 167 outwardly of the plate 13. The spring 179 is disposed between the plate 13 and a collar 180 which is pinned to the shaft 167. A limiting, or stop, collar 181 also is pinned to the shaft 167, to limit the right-hand movement exerted by the expansion spring 179 to the shaft 167. The main power switch 176 is secured by suitable fasteners, such as screws 182, to an car 183, which car 183 is secured to the lower rearward portion of the right side frame plate 13 in any suitable manner.

From the above description it can be seen that a prime advantage of the present invention is achieved, i.e., the functional cycle of machine operation is delayed until the sector carriage has shifted into its proper ordinal position. With the selector carriage having been shifted to its proper ordinal position, the main power switch 176 will be closed and the control switch 132 in series therewith will be selectively closed with either the add or subtract solenoids 147 and 148, respectively, to complete a circuit to energize either of these two solenoids.

Referring now to the schematic diagram of FIG. 5, there is shown a positive potential bus 186 and a negative potential bus 187. A live wire 188 is connected to the positive bus 186 with the other end of the live wire connected to a terminal 189 of the power switch 176. A

conductor 191 has one end connected to the other terselection contacts, e.g., a plus contact 193 and a minus:

contact 194.

A conductor 196 is connected to the terminal 197 of the plus contact 193, and the other end of this conductor is connected to the add solenoid 147. Similarly, a conductor 198 is connected to the terminal 1990f the minus contact 194, with its other end connected to the subtraction solenoid 148. A common conductor 201 is connected between the add and the subtract solenoids 148 and 149, respectively, and is bisected by a conductor 202, the other end of which is connected to the negative bus 187.

In operation, and referring generally to FIG. 5, with the link 127 moved forwardly (in the additive selective direc tion), the normally open movable contact 131 will close with contact 193 of the control switch 132. With the carriage being escaped to its full shifted movement, the insulated bumper 173 of the shaft 167 will close the contacts 174 and 175 of the main power switch 176. Therefore, current will flow through the live conductor 188, contacts 174 and 175, through the conductor 191, movable contact 131, contact 193 of the control switch 132, conductor 196 to the add solenoid 147, through the solenoid 147, through the common conductor 201, conductor 202 to the negative bus 187. This circuit will energize the add solenoid 147 whereby the plunger 149 will move sheep-1s 1 l downwardly to depress the add key 115 and initiate an additive machine cycle, as explained above.

With the link 127 moved or adjusted rearwardly (in the subtractive direction), the normally open movable contact 131 will close with the contact 194 of the control switch 132. Again, as the carriage is shifted, the shaft 167 will be axially moved and the bumper 173 secured thereto will close the contacts 174 and 175 of the main power switch 176. The closing of .these contacts will allow current to flow through the live conductor 188, the contacts 174 and 175 of the main power switch 176, the conductor 191, the movable contact 131, closed contact 194 of control switch 132, conductor 198 to the subtraction solenoid 148, through the common conductor 201, conductor 202 to the negative bus 187. This circuit will energize the subtraction solenoid 148 to move its plunger 153 downwardly, thereby depressing the subtraction key 116 to effect a subtraction cycle operation of the machine, as previously described.

From the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of my invention, it can be seen that I have provided a live key keyboard requiring little effort on the part of an operator to control a machine functional operation, i.e., to initiate an additive or subtractive operation. In summary,.it will be recalled that movement of a depressed value key forwardly will operate an electrical control switch through linkage, which will initiate an operation of an electromagnet to initiate a machinecycle of one type, e.g., addition. Similarly, when the depressed value key is moved rearwardly it will operate electrical switches to energize another electromagnet, .thereby initiating a machine cycle of a second type, e.g., subtraction.

While I-have described my invention as being employed in an adding machine, it is obvious that it may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. It, therefore, will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations thereof are possible within the scope-of the invention and thus the invention is not to be limited except by the terms of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a calculating machine having a ten-key keyboard including ten depressible and laterally movable input value keys, power-driven cyclic actuating means and two arithmetical functional controlling means, the combination comprising a member'movable in two different directions, means for connecting said member to a depressed one of said value keys, electromagnetic means selectively operable to etfect an operation of one or the other of said arithmetical functional controlling means, means operable in one direction by said movable member or in another direction by said member to optionally energize said electromagnetic means, a power circuit including a normally open switch for said electromagnetic means, and means operated upon release of a depressed and laterally moved key for closing said switch.

2. In a calculating machine having a shiftable selection mechanism, an escapement mechanism for shifting said selection mechanism, a ten-key keyboard including depressible and laterally moveable input value keys, means operated by said keys for setting values in said selection mechanism and operating said escapement mechanism, power-driven cyclic actuating means and two function control members, the combination comprising a member adjustable in two different directions, means for connecting each of said value keys when depressed to said adjustable member to move the same, a first electromagnetic means operable to effect an operation of one of the said control members, a second electromagnetic means operable to efiect an operation of the other said control member, switch means operable in one direction by said adjustable member to initiate an operation of said first electromagnetic means and operable in another direction by said member to initiate an operation of said second electromagnetic means, a power circuit for both of said electromagnetic means including a normally open switch, and means operated by said escapement mechanism for closing said switch.

3. In a calculating machine having a ten-key keyboard including input value keys, a selector apparatus having ordinally arranged selector members, a shifting mecha: nism operated by said keys for shifting said selector apparatus, and two function control members, the combination comprising a member adjustable in two different directions by said value keys, a first electromagnet operable to effect an operation of one of the said control members, a second electromagnet operable to effect an operation of the othersaid control member, a control switch operable in one direction by said adjustable member to control the operation of said first electromagnet and operable in another direction by said member to control the operation of said second electromagnet, and a normally inoperative main power switch connected in series to said control switch, and means operated by operation of said shifting mechanism to close said main switch, whereby the shiftingrof said selector apparatus controls the supply of power to the control switch.

7 4. In a calculating'machine having a ten-key keyboard including depressible .and laterally movable input value keys, power-driven cyclic actuating means, and two functional control members, the combinationcomprising a lever adjustable in two different directions operatiyely connected to each said value key, a movable member associated with said adjustable levers and movable in either of the two different directions thereby, a bidirectional link operated by said movable .member, latch means for latching said link in either adjustedposition, a first normally inoperative switch means rendered operative by movement ofsaid link in one direction, a first control solenoid energized by said first operative switch means, means operated by said solenoid to release said latch means and to effect operationof one of the said functional control members, a second normally inoperative switch means rendered operative by movement of said link in the other direction, a second control solenoid energized by said second operative switch means, means operated by said solenoid to release said latch means and to effect operation of the other said functional control member, a power circuit including a normally open power switch for said switch means, and means operated upon the release of a depressed and laterally moved key for closing said power switch.

5. In a calculating apparatus having ten depressible and laterally movable value input keys, a power-driven cyclic actuating means, a selector apparatus having ordinally arranged selector members differentially settable to selected values by said value keys, and two arithmetical functional controlling means effective to control operation of said actuating means, the combination comprising a common member adjustable in two different directions, links for connecting said member to each of said value keys, a first electromagnetic device operable to effect an operation of one of the said functional controlling means, a second electromagnetic device operable to effect an operation of the other said functional controlling means, switch means operative in one direction by said adjustable member to initiate an operation of said first electromagnetic device and operative in another direction by said member to initiate an operation of said second electromagnetic device, a power circuitincluding a normally open power switch for said switch means, and means operated upon the release of a depressed key for closing said power switch.

6. In a calculating machine having a plurality of positionable input value keys, a power-drivencycle actuating mechanism, a selector apparatus having ordinally arranged selector members shiftable as a unit and differentially settable to selected values by said value keys, an escapement mechanism for said selector apparatus operated by said value keys, an addition control member connected to said power actuating mechanism and operative to establish an additive operating cycle thereof, and a subtraction control member connected to said power actuating mechanism and operative to establish a subtractive operating cycle thereof, the combination comprising a lever connected to each of the said positionable input value keys and adjustable in two different directions thereby, a common movable member connected to said levers and movable in either of the two different directions by any one of said levers, a bidirectional link operated by said movable member, a normally inoperative addition control switch operated by movement of said bidirectional link in one direction, an addition solenoid energized by said addition control switch, means operated by said solenoid to effect operation of said addition control member, a normally inoperative subtraction control switch operated by movement of said bidirectional link in the other direction, a subtraction solenoid energized by said subtraction control switch, means operated by said energized solenoid to effect an operation of said subtraction control member, and a normally inoperative main power switch connected in series to said addition and said subtraction control switches, and means operated by operation of said escapement mechanism to render said main switch operative.

7. A calculating apparatus having a ten-key keyboard including power-driven cycle actuating mechanism, a selector apparatus having ordinally arranged selector members angularly movable about a fixed axis and differentially settable to selected values, a normally inoperable escapement mechanism for said selector apparatus, an addition control member connected to said power actuating mechanism and operative to establish an additive operating cycle thereof, and a subtraction control member connected to said power actuating mechanism and operative to establish a subtractive operating cycle thereof, the combination comprised of depressible input value keys longitudinally movable in two diiferent directions from a depressed centralized position, an adjustable lever operatively connected to said input value keys and adjustable in either of the two different directions thereby, a centralizing means cooperating with said levers for centralizing said levers and said value keys, a common movable member connected to said adjustable levers and movable in either of two different directions by any one of said levers, a bidirectional link movable in either of the two different directions by said movable member from a normally inoperable position, a normally inoperative addition control switch operated by movement of said bidirectional link in one direction, a normally de-energized addition solenoid energized by said addition control switch, means operated by said addition solenoid to effect operation of said addition control member, a blocking member operable to block said bidirectional link in one of its operative positions and operable to unblock said link by the operation of said addition solenoid, a normally inoperative subtraction control switch operated by movement of said bidirectional link in the other direction, a normally de-energized subtraction solenoid energized by said subtraction control switch, means operated by said subtraction solenoid to effect operation of said subtraction control member, a second blocking member operable to block said bidirectional link in its other operative position and operable to unblock said link by the operation of said subtraction solenoid, a rockable pawl operable by said bidirectional link to angularly move into engagement with said ordinal selector members whereby said pawl is axially movable by operation of said escapement mechanism and a normally inoperative main power switch connected in series to said addition and said subtraction control switches operable by the axial movement of said pawl to render the said main switch operative.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,656,980 Fox Oct. 27, 1953 2,770,419 Campbell et a1. Nov. 13, 1956 2.832.531 Chall Apr. 29, 1958 

